


Back When We Burned Brightly

by angededesespoir



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: (a few AUs for some of the prompts including: ballet AU; soulmate AU; reincarnation AU; a/b/o), (a few other characters appear in this including Ana Sombra Jesse Mercy and Fareeha), (mainly them back in their younger days- SEP/Omnic Crisis/Overwatch days), 1 Sentence Fiction, Angst, Anxiety, Canon-Typical Violence, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Manipulation, Minor Injuries, Multi, Near Death Experiences, Other, Serious Injuries, Some Sex, aquaphobia warning for prompt 44, asphyxiation warning for prompt 6, body horror I guess?, domestic life, dysfunctional relationships- at least for some of the prompts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 22:37:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9093874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angededesespoir/pseuds/angededesespoir
Summary: This is us through the ages.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [dualmode](https://archiveofourown.org/users/dualmode/gifts).



> _[Also on[Tumblr](http://angededesespoir.tumblr.com/post/155078048620/an-the-depression-hit-hard-im-trying-to-stop).]_
> 
>  
> 
> _The depression hit hard & I’m trying to stop myself from falling into a slump (b/c goshdang I have so many things I want to write), so I wound up writing another one of those ‘1 sentence, 50 themes’ type of things. I used [theme set 6](http://1fandom.livejournal.com/300.html) from the 1fandom community on LJ. Hope you enjoy this rollercoaster ride~ (Also, get ready for a lot of grammar rule-breaking. *Finger guns* One sentence is often not enough to fully express everything you want to say, I'm finding.)_
> 
> _(Also, I would like to dedicate this work to dualmode, who left a comment on my first Reaper76 ficlet. Sorry I made you sad the first time. There's some sad in here, too (I'm sorry- I can't help it), but I hope you like the happy moments/moments where they're taking care of (or protecting) eachother._
> 
> _I would also just like to say a big thank you to all the people who decide to take the time to read, comment, and/or leave kudos on my work. It means a lot, especially with how insecure and anxious I am. Anyway, y'all rock! Hope you enjoy!)_

1\. Move: Even though they are Super Soldiers, they still have their limits, and right now, muscles straining and legs trembling, the one thing that keeps him moving is the knowledge that Reyes depends on him having his back.

2\. Sleep: Jack shivers, trying to pull a blanket up to cover skin he can no longer tell is burning or freezing, only to have the cloth torn from his weak grasp, wet rags being carefully placed and dripping cool water down his flesh; vaguely he hears a deep voice speaking to him, before he is cradled by oblivion.

3\. Inspire: His friend, Ana, drags him to the ballet when her husband suddenly can’t make it, and at first he thinks he’ll hate it.....until he catches sight of the man on stage, gracefully spinning and leaping; the next time Ana asks Jack to go, he is more than willing, eagerly soaking up the information she provides on the art form as his hands nervously turn the pages of his copy of the program.

4\. Sweat: They take turns kneading eachother’s sore muscles and scrubbing away at the dirt and the blood and the sweat as the warm water soothingly cascades onto their worn flesh.

5\. Lovely: He traces the band on Gabriel’s finger, softly brings lips to a hand which has patched him up, soothed him, saved him more times than he can count- then his eyes are sliding back up, and he half hopes Gabe will wake up soon, so he can look into those beautiful brown eyes ( _but that would be selfish; the man needs his rest_ ); he presses his head to the man’s chest, listens to the strong beat instead- and waits.

6\. Breathe: The smoke is smothering him as he hears the familiar laugh- darker now, tainted-, and he feels himself slipping, the haze of reality blurring with a memory- post-mission anxiety attack and **his** soothing words, hands seeking permission to touch, arms to embrace, to ground- he finally wakes up, mask too close, room painfully empty.

7\. Rough: He’s pushed onto the bed, strong hands circling his wrists as Gabe bites the sensitive skin between neck and shoulder- Jack moans as he bucks against him, longing for friction Gabe soon delivers.

8\. Strike: It’s been piling up for a long time, creating a wedge, increasing the fights; they’ve tried to ignore the cracks, until now- Jack’s outside his door, making excuses, and Gabe can’t listen anymore- puts on the headphones, picks up the bottle, swipes a pad of tally-marks off his desk into void of bin.

9\. Help: Gabe’s been ignoring him for days, didn’t bother to see Jack off for his next mission; it’s 3 days in when his earpiece crackles to life and his heart begins to sink: _“Please.....please help.....I.....,”_ \- it’s all Gabe needs to start sprinting to his rescue.

10\. Resist: Despite everything, Gabe doesn’t want to hate him; he misses what they had, longs to embrace him like he used to- he finds the strength to avoid him instead.

11\. Meet: He sends for Gabe to meet him in his office under the premise of needing to discuss a time-pressing matter; they both know there is no issue- only that it’s been too long and this is the only way they can carve out time from their duties to be the people they once were.

12\. Taut: When his clawed hand curves over the man’s shoulder, Reaper is not surprised to find the muscles so tense; he remembers how often he had to give the man massages, even before he became commander.

13\. Thirst: As he hovers over the bleeding man, soul wavering but still clinging to connection, Reaper discovers that even after so many years, he still craves him.

14\. All: “It’s all or nothing, Jackie,” he whispers, as he picks up his guns, and Jack finishes reloading his own, “we got one shot at this- so don’t mess up, boy scout.”

15\. Fog: He’s laying in rubble, the pain of burnt flesh and sharp rocks jabbing through cloth and into skin are the only things that have him convinced that he is not dead nor dreaming, that Angela’s screams- so near, yet so far away- must be real, and that there’s a possibility that through the thick haze of smoke and fog, his Gabriel might be alive, too.

16\. Before: Sometimes Ana catches him, crumbled photograph in hand, his fingers absentmindedly tracing dogs tags and the ring accompanying them; she says nothing, only kisses his temple as she places a cup of tea in front of him.

17\. Hurt: “Morrison, it’s not that serious- put me down,” Reyes grumbles, his face getting heated from all the stares they’re getting, but Jack doesn’t listen, just continues to carry him, kissing his temple softly when they’re out of eyesight of the others- “No. Let me take care of you for once.”

18\. Kind: He’s exhausted, vision blurry and world spinning, when he half-registers the firm hand slipping over his limp one (which had stopped writing and started trailing a line off the page minutes ago) and the voice of the blond telling him, “Go to bed; I’ve got this.”

19\. Warm: He rubs the soft material of the sweater Gabe made for him, tries to pretend that it’s the man himself, his sun, wrapped around him, giving him warmth instead.

20\. Pattern: They find themselves slipping into a pattern- avoid until things come to a boil, blow up, say (do) things they both regret, then kiss the bruises in the morning, silence between them- a mourning for what was, and what they are allowing themselves to become- pretend for a moment, then repeat.

21\. Cycle: The suppressants are no longer working and Jack finds himself in another heat, whining and grinding against a soaked mattress, thinking of his mate, wishing Gabe were here instead of a classified location on a mission Jack should know nothing about.

22\. Glow: Soldier holds his breath as the glowing smoky figure surrounds him- not in a threatening matter, much to his surprise, but more like an embrace, mimicking the ones he used to receive long ago.

23\. Zero: Jack glares at him as he throws down his cards and starts tugging off his pants, Gabriel giving a hearty laugh as he proudly pronounces, “Well, well, well- zero to seven; finally something you’re not good at, hmm, Jackie boy?”

24\. Wonder: Jack's heart skips a beat as he watches his commanding officer toss a man to the mat, wondering what it would be like to have the honour to spar with him- wondering if he’d ever get the chance, if he’d ever prove himself worthy enough of his time.

25\. Scold: It’s the second time he’s reinjured himself, training when his body isn’t yet ready, and Gabe has him sitting on the bed, tending to his wounds (sparing him from another frightening encounter with Angela), his voice a mix of frustration and concern as he makes known his opinion, then pushes him down - gently, but firmly-, ordering him to rest.

26\. Figure: He’s 18 when it starts to happen- there’s a tall man in his dreams, decked out in military uniform, his eyes as much as his words beckoning Jack to come and find him; he wakes each time, heart pounding, uncomfortably aroused, knowing what this means.

27\. Then: He doesn’t open his eyes, doesn’t want to destroy the memories that flood him, doesn’t want to give up this moment- because he can feel the familiarity in the body which cradles him (even as he can feel the foreign flicker between solidity and smoke), knows the stroke of those hands tending to his wounded flesh better than he knows the feel of his own rifle- no, he doesn’t want this to end- so he pretends and resists the urge to respond.

28\. Lie: It’s a dance, them trying to protect eachother- Jack doesn’t tell him about the way the higher-ups have held a gun to his head for over a decade, forcing his hand, while Gabe conceals the evidence he’s revealed, shoves the puzzle pieces away.

29\. Hunt: They are both the hunter and the hunted, neither willing to end their pointless dance- neither really wanting it to end, unless they can both be consumed.

30\. Mistake: He’s up at the podium, looking out, catching sight of him sneaking out a back door; Jack knows he’s made a mistake; he also knows he has no choice, so he stands at the microphone, continues to smile as he blinks back tears and lets the roar of applause drown out his thoughts.

31\. Birth: When they both wake up from their comas, they come to the same conclusion: they both died long ago, and the loss of their other half cements this- Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison are dead; Reaper and Soldier are born from their ashes.

32\. Cut: Jack wakes up screaming, tears cascading down his face as Angela rushes to his side; it isn’t just the physical pain getting to him, it’s the intensity of the emotional pain overtaking him- his soulbond has been severed, and he knows what that means.

33\. Double: His visor’s cracked and his head is spinning in a dizzy haze as he looks up, blood trailing down his face and his vision blurring to form double as the man stalks closer to him, shotguns in hand, and Soldier is slurring out, “Heh, Death comes at last,” before darkness overtakes him.

34\. Cover: He’s wounded, laying in a pool of his own blood, when he feels a familiar form throwing themself over him as he vaguely picks up the sound of more bullets flying over them, and Gabe’s hushed, but persistent voice encouraging him to hang on.

35\. Lick: Jack softly digs his fingers into the stockings that barely stretch enough to cover Gabe’s thighs, as he curves his neck, dips his head to lick at the beading cock, still half-concealed by lace, presented to him.

36\. Wheel: He’s laying in the dirt, pain jolting through him as his eyes finally open to see concerned brown eyes peering down at him, a voice asking him questions he can’t decipher as he feels a strange fluttering sensation- it’s almost if.....he recognizes this man, but no, he’s never seen him before.....at least, not in this life.

37\. Slight: He flinches, just slightly, but Gabe notices, pulls away, begins to ask, “Are you ok-?” when Jack gives him a quick peck on the lips to shut him up- “I’m fine,” he lies.

38\. Fling: It was just supposed to be a way to blow off steam, but now there’s something more in the way Jack kisses the scars and Gabe embraces him.

39\. Sorry: There’s a long stream of _‘Sorrys’_ being pressed to his skin, but Gabe feels numb, cannot give Morrison the words he longs to hear- nothing is okay anymore, and they both know it.

40\. Call: He’s at a safety house when the old rotary phone starts ringing, and for a good ten seconds he gazes at it, heart thumping before, with great hesitation, he picks it up- he is met with silence on the other end, and after 20 seconds of neither party saying anything, Soldier hangs up, unsure of what exactly he was hoping for.

41\. Jewel: He’s staring down in shock at the sapphire and diamond-encrusted ring that’s being presented to him, and it takes him several seconds to process what’s happening before he’s throwing his arms around Gabe, clutching him like a lifeline as he holds back tears and let’s out a stream of _‘yes’_ s.

42\. Fruit: “Hey, aren’t you going to share, Reyes?” he smirks, as he playfully jabs him in the side; Gabe finishes swallowing the strawberry, smiles as he whispers, “Of course, cariño,” and softly places his lips on Jack’s, the taste of the fruit still on his breath, tongue pressing against his lips, requesting entrance.

43\. House: They’re curled up in blankets by the fire, sipping on some hot chocolate as they watch Jesse and little Fareeha chase eachother around with squirt guns- Gabe laughs when she shoots Jesse in the butt.

44\. Swim: Gabe’s smiling as Morrison clings to him; “I can’t believe you never learned how to swim,”- Jack glares at him and clings tighter, “S-shut up.”

45\. Family: He’s standing in the rain, gazing out at the smiling people, when he feels a firm hand come to rest on his shoulder; knowing who it is he debates whether he should disappear, but he doesn’t have the energy (and, truth be told, he doesn’t actually have the desire to leave), so he doesn’t look at the man as he settles into the grip, only whispers, barely audible, “I miss them, Jack. I miss our family.”

46\. Interest: He doesn’t know if he’s making a mistake, if he’s read the signs wrong; Gabe slips the invitation through the slot of the locker, tries to remember how to breath as he walks away, hoping for the best.

47\. Record: There’s been rumours of a man dressed in a tacky jacket with _‘76′_ etched on, visored mask concealing his face, pulse rifle dealing out swift vigilante justice; Sombra informs him that many of the targets on Reaper’s personal list match those this _‘Soldier’_ has taken out, and then she drops some curious information, a certain rumour as to this soldier’s identity (he clenches his fist, leaves abruptly- _he should have known, shouldn’t have doubted_ )- she’s left sifting through old photos, once thought lost, smirking. 

48\. Glass: “Careful how you act, Morrison,” the voice on the line is as stern as ever, “because if you don’t start behaving like the good little soldier we know you’re capable of being, everything that we’ve allowed you to have-,” his computer screen flicks on, live footage of Gabriel on his current mission filling the screen, “will start to crumble and fall away before your eyes. Do we make ourselves clear, soldier?”

49\. Shape: He wakes up, thinking he heard a sound, his heart pounding as he swings himself off the worn mattress, grabs the rifle by his bed- that’s when he sees it and goes still- black smoke curling into a shape, the shape forming into a man- _“It’s been awhile, hasn’t it, Jack?”_

50\. Live: Gabriel wakes to find half of his body is in immense pain, the other half he can’t feel- he tries to move and groans; he slowly begins to register his surroundings- the beeping monitor, the hand grasping his, the bed pulled up at his side, a voice- raspy, but recognizable- clouded with tears- _“I’m so glad you’re still alive,"_ ; he finds the strength to squeeze the hand lightly, but still cannot speak.


End file.
